Blades are attached to machines to push various materials from one place to another. These machines can be tractors with tracks, wheeled tractors, skid steer loaders, trucks and other powered vehicles. Materials are generally moved relatively short distances by blades that push. If material is to be moved a substantial distance, it is normally loaded in a vehicle.
Materials that are pushed short distances are generally moved in one direction to a common area. To move material in one direction, the vehicle returns to a starting position with the blade raised. Occasionally material can be moved in two directions to two separate areas. When moving material to two separate areas, the vehicle can be turned around at each end of a pass. However, turning the vehicle around may take more time than returning with the blade raised.
A blade which can move material in two directions could, in some situations, come close to doubling the material moved per hour. Unfortunately the blades that are currently used to push material are not able to move material efficiently when moving backwards. Their blades generally tend to ride up over material when moving to the rear and move less material than they move when moving forward.
There are situations in which blades need to move material on their backsides because the vehicle cannot be turned around to push material. One example of such a need is moving soil from a building wall or foundation. Other examples include moving snow away from garage doors and entry doors.